When We Have Nothing to Offer
An abstract of Connor Kraus’ sermon on March 2, 2025, in the Joshua series. Watch the sermon video here.
Have you ever felt so stuck that you just wanted to cry out, "Anywhere but here!"? Maybe it was during an illness, a difficult relationship, or a seemingly impossible situation. We've all been there—feeling helpless and desperate for rescue.
In Joshua chapter 10, we find a fascinating story about a city called Gibeon. Their situation was dire, their options limited, and they had absolutely nothing to offer in exchange for help. Yet their story teaches us something incredible about how God works in our lives.
The Desperate Situation
Gibeon had a problem. They had recently made a treaty with Israel through deception. They pretended to be from a faraway land to trick Israel into protecting them. When Israel discovered the lie, they were angry but honored the agreement anyway.
This made Gibeon extremely unpopular with their neighbors. Five kings and their armies surrounded the city, ready to attack. Gibeon was trapped with no way out.
In desperation, they sent a message to Joshua: "Don't give up on your servants. Come quickly and save us. Help us."
Think about this for a moment. Gibeon had:
Just deceived Israel
Nothing valuable to offer
No bargaining power
No reason to expect help
Yet they called out anyway. They had nowhere else to turn.
The Unexpected Response
What happened next is remarkable. Joshua didn't hesitate. He gathered his best soldiers and marched through the night, traveling 20 miles uphill to reach Gibeon.
God told Joshua, "Do not be afraid of them. I have handed them over to you. Not one of them will be able to stand against you."
Joshua could have said, "You tricked us. You're on your own." But he didn't. Instead, he honored the agreement and came to their rescue—not because Gibeon deserved it, but because of a promise that had been made.
The Miraculous Victory
What follows is one of the most amazing battles in the Bible. God fought for Israel in spectacular ways:
He threw the enemy armies into confusion
He sent large hailstones from the sky that killed more enemies than Israel's swords
Most famously, God made the sun stand still in the sky, giving Israel enough time to defeat their enemies completely
Imagine being inside Gibeon's walls that day. You're surrounded by enemies, expecting the worst. Then suddenly, you see your enemies scattered and running. Hailstones fall from the sky. And the sun—the actual sun—stands still in the sky!
And the best part? You didn't have to do anything. God handled it all.
What This Means for Us
So what does this ancient battle have to do with our lives today? Everything!
We Come to God with Nothing, and He Still Saves Us
Like Gibeon, we have nothing to offer God that He needs. We can't impress Him with our goodness, our talents, or our accomplishments. He already owns everything!
The Bible says in Ephesians 2:8-9: "For you are saved by grace through faith. And this is not from yourselves. It is God's gift. Not from works so that no one can boast."
We often try to convince ourselves that we bring something special to the table—that God made a good investment in saving us. But the truth is, salvation is completely one-sided. God gives everything; we receive.
When We Call for Help, God Responds
Gibeon sent out an urgent message, and Joshua responded immediately. In the same way, Romans 10:13 promises, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
This is the amazing truth about Jesus. He didn't wait for us to clean up our act or become worthy. He came all the way from heaven to earth, lived among us, and died on a cross—all to rescue people who were still His enemies!
When we cry out to God from our desperate situations, He doesn't hesitate. He's already on His way.
God Rescues Us in Miraculous Ways
God didn't just send a little help to Gibeon. He sent hailstones from heaven and stopped the sun in its tracks! That's the kind of God we serve—One who does the impossible.
Sometimes we think of salvation as an escape room where we have to solve all the puzzles and figure out the way out ourselves. But that's not how it works. If we could save ourselves, then Jesus died for nothing.
Colossians 1 says, "He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. In him we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
Like Gibeon's rescue, our salvation is impossible without God's intervention. We can't do it on our own.
The Good News for All of Us
The most beautiful part of this story is that Gibeon's past didn't disqualify them from being rescued. They had been deceptive. They had nothing to offer. They were outsiders. Yet when they called for help, God came through.
The same is true for us. No matter your background, your history, or your current situation—when you call out to Jesus, He will answer. Every single time.
You don't need to clean yourself up first. You don't need to have it all together. You don't need to be perfect or even good. You just need to recognize that you can't save yourself and call out for help.
Your Next Step
Are you in a situation where you feel surrounded and helpless? Do you need rescue? You can call out to God right now. He's waiting to hear from you.
If you'd like to learn more about this God who rescues the helpless and saves those who call on Him, we invite you to visit our church this Sunday at 9 or 10:30 a.m. You'll find a community of people who are all in the same boat—rescued not because we deserve it, but because God is faithful. Plan a visit today.
Come as you are. Bring your questions, your doubts, and your struggles. Like Gibeon, you might discover that help is already on the way.
"For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." - Romans 10:13